Sorting machine



Aug. 8, 19.44.

E. H. LINKNER SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 R H umm/mV v INVENTO rau/49p BY A oRNEY Aug, 8, 1944. i

E. H. LINKNER SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26. 1942 6 Sheets-SheetV 2 wvl-:mon fummo HUN/win ORNEY.

All@ 8, 1944 E. H. LINKNER SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26. 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR [0M/ARD Il. UNKNER BY ATTORNEY AUS- 8 1944- E. H. LINKNER v2,355,311v

SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR [D WARD H. ll/YKNER ATTORNEY &

` Aug- 8; 1944' E. H. LINKNER 2,355,311

SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, 1942 6 Sheets-sheet 5 3 l'NvENroR Aug. 8, 1944. E; H. LlNKNE-R 2,355,311

SORTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 26, 1942 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Y Hman H. Mm/m BY "MTRNEY like.

Patented Aug. 8, 1944 SORTING MACHINE Edward H. Linkner, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application January 26, 1942, serial No. 428,180

' 'z claims. (ci. 20s-9o) This invention relates to sorting machines and more particularly to machines for sorting fastening devices such as headed rivets, screws and the Modern aircraft manufacturers make use of hundreds of thousands of rivets in the fabrication of fuselages and airfoils, the rivets being of relatively small diameter and short length. Rivet diameters may be from 332 inch up to 1% inch'and lengths may vary from 1% to 3A inch. Rivet heads may be of various types such as button, fiat,v

countersunk, etc. During the fabrication of parts, hundreds of rivets are dropped daily and are eventually picked up in the iioor sweepings from which they are recovered and sorted for diameter, head form and length.

Means for separating foreign materials, means for separating rivets for diameters and means for separating the various head shapes are known in the art. It is known also that means for separating rivets of different lengths is in'use,` but that said last named means has not been entirely satisfactory nor-fully automatic in operation, it being necessary to depend upon partial manual manipulation to assure uninterrupted operation.

The primary object of this device is to provide an apparatus which will sort mixed lengths of headed materials such as screws and rivets, particularly the latter. f

Another object is to provide a sorting apparatus which is substantially automatic in operation.

the following speciiication, when considered to-v gether with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a sorting machine constructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view on an enj larged'scaleof a distributor disc;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of said chute as seen t from the bottom;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective fragmentary view of the distributor disc with its serrations and pins; also shown are the ejectors as mounted on the supporting shell;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentaryplan of a portion of the distributor and ejector mechanism;

Fig. 11 is an elevation partly broken away showing one of several rollers which support the dis- Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view showing l one of several ejectors (one shown in Fig. 1);

' Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of several receptacles (but one of which is shown in Fig. 1)

only of which is Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a lubricating pad (indicatedin Fig. 2);

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion o1 the feed chute;

tributor disc; l

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section taken on the line I'2-I2 of Fig. 10; Figs. 13 and 14 are fragmentary plans of portions of the feed chute, and

Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the lower end of the feed chute.

As noted in the objects above, the present machine serves to sort mixed length elements into a plurality of bins each arranged to receive elements of specific length. The machine comprises a supporting assembly consisting of legs I 0 secured to a top II on which is mounted a cylindrical drum' I2 provided with dowel holes I3 to which are fitted dowels I4 carried by bins I5 arranged peripherally around the drum I2. Within the drum and extending thereabove, is a shaft I6 rotated by a motor I 8 through abelt I9 and bevel gear 20. 'I'he shaft I6 carries a rotating table or disc 22 supported in part by rollers 2l (Fig. 11) whose edge is formed with a plurality of U-shaped notches 23 of such width as to receive the shanks of rivets or screws while the heads of the rivets or screws engage the table top. Ramps 24 are formed on the counterclockwise side of each notch 23, as shown in Fig. 2. Be-

tween notches, depending pins 26 are secured for a purpose to be described shortly.

Upon the sides of the drum I2 are arranged a plurality of ejector assemblies. 28, only one of which is shown in the drawings. Such an ejector assembly is shown in Fig. 3 to comprise a mounting pad 29 having a hole'30 through which a lcapscrewl passes to secure the drum. From the pad 29 a spring arm 3| extends, each arm having a top edge 32 at a specied distance below the top face of the table 22. Assuming that rivets or the like are engaged in the notches of the table', as the table rotates, the pins 26 will successively engage the ends of the spring arms 3 I, pressing the springs toward the drum I2 until the pins pass from the ends of the spring arms, whereupon the latter snap radially outwardly. If

a rivet or screw happens to ci such length that it may be engaged by the spring erin es it snaps outwardly, the spring will iiick the rivet or screw from the table into the bin lo adjacent thereto. Regardless of Wsible lov! speedof the table i5, the spring will thus have sucient energy to discharge a rivet dynamically from the table into the bin, promoting the positive discharge of rivets from the table. Preferably, the spring arm assemblies 2d are so disposed that the lowest one is et the first station on the counterclockwise side of a iced chute which serves to place rivets or screws properly in` the notches on the table 22. Thus, the longest rivets or screws are iiclred from the table hust, and as the` table rotates, progressively shorter screws are flicked from the table into their appropriate bins.

Reference may he made to Figs. d, "i, t3, i3, 14 and l for details ci the feed chute. The chute comprises a bridge plate Sl, laterally spread spacers 3d secured therebeneath, and laterally spaced guides ii@ beneath the spacers which de= lne between their inner edges a slot id through which Shanks of rivets or screws may pass, the heads being engaged by the upper surfaces of the guides 39. This feed ossembiy is ted from a hopper 32, shown in Fig. l, which preferably is provided with a mixing paddle, not shown, driven through a belt and pulley assembly d3 from a motor is secured to the support structure. Since the particular machine shown is adapted for use with light alloy rivets, feed oi the rivets down the feed chute il@ is assisted by en air jet shown at d6, fed from an air valve lll. A second feedv line le leads from the air valve to the lower or delivery end of the feed chute is to assist the placement of rivets upon the table 22 and. also, to assist in clearing jams should they occur. As shown in Fig. 6, the bridge plate Si' of the feed chute carries a guide plate be to assist in seating rivets in the table notches. Also, c. discharge plate 52 is secured to the feed chute and over lies the approaching side of the table 22 to discharge from the table any rivets or the like vwhich may not have been discharged therefrom by the ejectors te previously described.

The feed chute carries a spring discharge lip 5d at its delivery end which, in case of c. rivet jam, will retreat in the direction of rotation of the table 22 to allow jo. rivets to drop clear. This spring 5t is so shaped at its end, that a sloped portion 55 lies close to the edge of the table 22 to guide rivets from theieed chute into the notches 2e of the table. Should a rivet jam occur, as shown in' Fig. 14, *wherein heads of rivets 5l have become overlap, the spring 543 will yield to the left, or in. a counter-clockwise direction, to relieve the iam. concurrently, a stop pin e9 slides across the feed chute slot d@ to prevent the column of rivets in the feed chute from passing down the chute until the .1am is cleared and until the spring 5d resumes its normal position as a continuation of the slot telas shown in Fig. 13. The stop pin te is interconnected with the spring 5d as follows: The pin is crossed over the top of the feed chute 35i es at t@ and bears at its left end ci on a plate Slisecured to the spring 5d. Furthermore, the 'pin ed is urged toward a, chute. stopping position by' a weak springv 63 which may readily be overcon'ne by the spring 56. Thus, when the spring' 5ft is pressed leftwardly, as shown, by leed rivets, the spring t3 presses the stop pin e@ leftwardly.

asseoir ed moves to the right, overco the spring de and moving the stop pin il to the right to clear the feed chute for continued o' vivete therefrom to the table notches.

The above described jam clearing mecha is simple in construction and has been found to be eective in operation. lt is apparent, however, that its constructionab details may be altered considerably to secure substantially the same result so that applicant does not wish to limit himself, as to the scope of the invention, by the' specific mechanism shown. Functionally, the essence of the jam clearing arrangement is to provide a yielding feed lip, such as the elemen Eid which, when it yields in response to je. t, i `:vill stop the feed of rivets or other elemen through the chute and, upon Jam clearance, cull reopen the feed chute for normal operation.

An additional guide strip G5 is secured to the stationary portions of the mechanism to hold rivets in position in their notches until they are beyond the inuence of the air jetv d?. As an added measure to prevent inadvertent displacement of rivets or the like from the table 22, the surface of the table 22,' in the vicinity of the notches 23, is counterbored with a backward slope, as shown in Fig. i2 at ill, which, under the inuence of vibration and gravity, seats the rivets or the like quite rmly in the table notches until the rivets are licked therefrom by the ejectors 2d.

Figs. 2 and 5 show lubricator pads di? secured to the drum i2 by which the pins 26 are continually lubricated to avoid excessive weer la con-1 junction With their engagement with the ejectors 2c.

While l. have described my invention in detail in its present preferred embodiment, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art, after uncler standing my invention, that various changes and modifications may be made therein Without de= parting from the spirit or scope thereof. i aim in the appended claims to cover all such modi cations and changes.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a. distributing mechanism, a table having a plurality of notches along an edge thereof for reception of headed elements, and a feed mechanism comprising a hopper, a track fed by the hopper and terminating adjacent the'table edge, said track serving to convey elements from the hopper to the table edge notches, a stop member movable at least partially across said track in response to jamming of elements at the dea livery end of said track to stop passage of elements through saidY track until the jam is cleared, and pneumatic means for urging the passage of elements along said track. f

2. In a distributing mechanism, a table having a plurality of notches along an edge thereof for reception of headed elements, and a feed mechanism comprising a. hopper, a track fed by the hopper and terminating adjacent the table edge, said track serving to convey elements from the hopper to the table edge notches, a stop member movable at least partially across said track in response to jamming of elements at the delivery end of said track to stop passage of elements through said track until the jam is cleared, a. nozzle adjacent the hopper end of the track directed toward the delivery end thereof, and mezlns to supply air under pressure to said no e.

3. In apparatus for sorting headed elements When the feed chute Jam is cleared, the spring having stem portions of various lengths, a. sup- 1 tending vertically below said disc, a plurality of serially disposed ejectors on said support having their upper edges spaced at varying distances ver' tically below said disc, and means operative upon rotation of said disc to radially snap said electors for snap discharge of said elements.

4. In apparatus for sorting headed elements having stem portions of various lengths, a substantially horizontal table having notches along an edge, means to feed said elements to said table for engagement in said notches with the heads of said elements resting on the upper surface of said table and with theirv stem portions extending vertically below the table, a support with respect to which said table is movable, an ejector member operable to discharge elements of predetermined length. said ejector member being mountedon said support and having its upper edge spaced a dlstance'below said table depending on the length oi the elements to be discharged thereby, and means operative upon movement of said table to intermittently snap said ejector member along a substantially horizontal path.

5. In apparatus for sorting headed elements having stem portions of various lengths, a support, a substantially horizontal disc rotatably mounted on said support and having a plurality o! peripheral notches adapted to receive said ele-` ments with their head portions resting on the upper surface oi' said disc and with their stem por-` tions extending vertically below said disc, a plumembers being resiliently biased radially outward, and means carried by the disc and operable upon rotation of the disc to radially retract said ejector members and then release them for snap discharge of said elements.

6. In apparatus for sorting headed elements having stem portions of various lengths, a support, a substantially horizontal table `having rality 0i' serially disposed ejector members on said mort having their upper edges vertically spaced at varyins distances from said disc, said ejector notches along an edge and movable with respect to said support, means to feed said elements to said table for engagement in said notches with the heads of said elements resting on the upper surface oi' said table and with their stem portions extending vertically below the table, a pluralty oi' serially disposed ejector members on said sur port having their upper edges vertically spaced at varying distances from said table, and means operative upon movement of said table to intermittently snap said ejector members along a substantially horizontal path for selective discharge of said elements.

7. In apparatus for sorting headed elements having stem portions of various lengths, a support, a substantially horizontal table having notches along an edge and movable with respect to said support, means -to feed said elements to said table for engagement in said notches with the heads of said elements resting on the upper surfacel of said table and with their stem portions extending vertically below the table, a plurality of serially disposed ejector members on said support having their upper edges vertically spaced at varying distances from said table, a plurality of means depending from said table and intermittently engageable with said ejector members upon movement of said table to intermittently snap said ejector members along a substantially horizontal path for selective discharge of said elements.

EDWARD H. LINKNER. 

